And thy desert shall content thee;
Let me divine: as I am,
So in time thou'lt he the same:
My adopted sonne therefore he,
To enjoy my clowne's suit after me.
“And so it fell out. The boy reading this, loved Tarlton ever after, and fell in with his humour; and private practice brought him to public playing; and at this houre he performs the same, where at the Globe on the Bank-side men may see him.”
* Robert Armin was a popular actor in Shakspere's plays. He
was associated with him and “his fellowes” in the patent
granted by James I. to act at the Globe Theatre, and in any
other part of the kingdom. He is the author of “The History
of the Two Maids of More-clacke” 4to. 1609, in which he
played Simple John in the hospital. His “true effigie”
appears in the title-page: as does that of Green (another
contemporary actor of rare merit), in “Tu Quoque.”
Many other jokes are told of Tarlton; how, when he kept the sign of the Tabor, a tavern in Gracechurch street, being chosen scavenger, he neglected his duty, got complained of by the ward, shifted the blame to the raker, who transferred it to his horse, upon which he (Tarlton) sent the horse to the Compter, and the raker had to pay a fee for the redemption of his steed! And how he got his tavern bill paid, and a journey to London scot-free, by gathering his conceits together, and sending his boy to accuse him to the magistrates for a seminary priest! the innkeeper losing his time and charges, besides getting well flouted into the bargain.
In the year 1588 Tarlton gave eternal pause to his merriments. He was buried, September 3, in St. Leonard's, Shoreditch.
In the books of the Stationers' Company was licensed “A Sorrowful new Sonnette,” intituled Tarlton's Recantation upon this Theame given him by a gentleman at the Bel Savage without Ludgate (now or els never) being the last Theame he songe; and Tarlton s repentance and his farewell to his friendes in his sickness, a little before his death.”In “Wits Bedlam,” 1617, is the following epitaph on him:—